Liz Kautzmann, Laser/Fabrication Program Manager at FANUC America, has been awarded a 2014 Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Award from the Manufacturing Institute.
The STEP Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers in the manufacturing industry. "My passion for learning, growing and improving drives me in every aspect of my life including my career, and I am honored to be recognized for it. I encourage the next-generation to pursue a rewarding career in manufacturing as well", says Kautzmann.

"These women are the faces of exciting careers in manufacturing," said Jennifer McNelly, president, The Manufacturing Institute. "We chose to honor these women because they each made significant achievements in manufacturing through positive impact on their company and the industry as a whole. The STEP Awards are part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative, launched to examine and promote the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research, and leadership for attracting, advancing and retaining strong female talent."

Kautzmann's real world experiences at Laser Lab International, Edison Welding Institute, and Armco Research are the substance that fueled her passion for laser cutting. She has worked with groups like FIRST Robotics and The Science Olympics to ensure young people are exposed to laser technology and manufacturing. She was previously named Chairman (2012-2013) and Vice Chairman (2010-2011) of the Industrial Laser Technology Council. Kautzmann is currently Laser/Fabrication Program Manager at FANUC America.

The Manufacturing Institute is an affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers and is committed to delivering leading-edge information and services to the nation's manufacturers.
About FANUC CORPORATION FANUC CORPORATION, headquartered at the foot of Mt. Fuji, Japan, is the most innovative manufacturer of Robots, CNCs and Robomachines in the world. Since its inception in 1956, FANUC has contributed to the automation of machine tools as a pioneer in the development of CNC equipment. FANUC technology has contributed to a worldwide manufacturing revolution, which evolved from the automation of a single machine to entire production lines.